Her Dark Sides
by LiveLaughLove72
Summary: It has been two agonizingly long months since Tyler left. Caroline has fallen into a deep state of depression and has now decided to leave Mystic Falls and find herself. While she is gone, she learns of her dark sides and her true identity. One of the darkest desires she has kept buried for so long? Klaus Mikaelson. (Not smut! Rated M to be safe! There is some language.)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! So, I've finally gotten the courage to write a Klaroline story! I was afraid to at first because the two are just such complex characters, but after a bit of encouragement from my BFF, I have finally decided to follow through with it. Sorry if it isn't my best work. :P Enjoy.**

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Caroline sighed as she gazed at her image in the mirror. Today was the day. She was leaving for Paris.

It had been a sudden decision, really. Nothing had pushed her to do it, she hadn't really thought it through. But for some reason, the thought of getting out of town seemed like a great idea. To run off into the sunset, a powerful, strong..._single_ woman.

Tyler had broken things off with her about two months ago. Although she knew it was for the best, she couldn't seem to get him out of her mind. The thought of him constantly nagged her, buzzing around her head like bees surrounding a jam pot. If only she could kill those images, those memories, with the swat of her hand, she would. But instead, she was a vampire. Emotions heightened, memories vivid and haunting, yet there was also crushing strength and lightening speed. Sometimes, Caroline didn't know if the cons outweighed the pros of vampirism, or vice versa.

The point was that Tyler was gone and he wasn't coming back. She'd waited by the phone, falling helplessly into a deep dark pit of despair faster and faster until one day she just broke down. And she'd taken it out on who? Oh, right, her best friend, Elena. The memories flashed behind her closed eyes, almost tangible.

_"Caroline?" Elena asked worriedly. "Is everything alright?"_

_Sobs rocked her body and she crumpled to the floor in tears. Mascara flowed down her face, streaking her perfect features with black stains. "Do I look alright to you?" she gasped._

_Elena rushed over to her, taking her hand and stroking her knuckles with her thumb. Caroline pulled her hand back and flew across the room, heat in her gaze. Dark veins pulsed underneath her eyes as she felt the blood rush to her head. The whites of her eyes had turned crimson red and her fangs dripped saliva as she snarled. "Don't ever touch me!" she hissed._

_Elena got on her feet, raising her hands in surrender. As she whispered comforting words, she slowly walked over to her. Before Caroline could react, she flashed in front of her, confident that she wouldn't hurt her. Grabbing Caroline's arms and pinning them down, Elena murmured, "It will be okay."_

_Although Caroline wasn't an old vampire, she sure as hell was strong. With inhuman speed, she broke free of Elena's grasp, shoved her backward, and clenched her throat, shoving Elena's frail form against the wall. Elena choked and gasped for air. She tried with all her might to remove the hands clutching her neck, but Caroline was stronger. The blonde leaned forward until her face was only inches away from the doppelganger's. _

_"This is all because of you!" she screamed in her face, the monstrous expression back. "If you hadn't been around, Klaus would have had no reason to come to Mystic Falls for that goddamn ritual! He wouldn't have been able to turn Tyler into a hybrid! And, for crying out loud, he wouldn't have a reason to kill his mother! Tyler wouldn't have to go to New Orleans and plot his worthless unrealistic revenge against Klaus! He would still be here, with me! He would still love me! Just because you're a doppelganger! Everyone who's around you has suffered! I wish I'd never met you, Elena Gilbert!"_

_And with that, she wept as she quickly packed all her things and walked out the door, anxious to leave college once and for all._

Opening her eyes, Caroline felt a piece of her heart break. Elena had never meant to harm her. Yet, she could never take back those words, for everything she said was true. Sometimes, although she'd never admit it, she wished she had never met Elena. Things would be so much easier. If Elena hadn't existed, Caroline would probably still be an oblivious human, in love with Matt of all people, and planning her wedding day by now.

But if Elena didn't exist, Caroline would still be a neurotic, clingy, control-freak. She was that now, but back then, she was much worse and much more superficial. Now, she was comfortable in her own skin. Secure, confident...alive. Dying had made her more alive.

"Ha," she mumbled. "That's a new one."

Yet it wasn't all Elena's fault for everything. It was mostly Klaus. The Original hybrid. The arrogant, self-centered, evil man who had caused all these problems. The one she would have never met if Elena didn't exist. But Klaus wasn't just those bad things. He was much more. He was passionate, sweet in a strange kind of way, magnetic, protective, complex, intoxicating, and God knows he was attractive.

Caroline had stronger feelings for Klaus than she had ever let on, but she knew she couldn't confess them. The though of him showing her the world and treating her like a queen was intoxicating, and she fought with herself every day over the temptation. She knew that if she were to become Klaus's lover (the thought gave her goose bumps), she would lose the last shred of humanity that she had left. And she didn't know if she could handle that.

Klaus had killed so many important people in her friends' lives. Elena's aunt, Tyler's mom, Jules, all of his siblings, 12 of his own hybrids, and even Elena herself! She was resurrected, but that's not the point. Even so, he had still found a place in Caroline's compassionate, stupid heart, and he'd moved in pretty quick. After that one night when he saved her life, telling her of the beautiful things life had in store for her, she had grown a tiny soft spot for him. It grew bigger and bigger each time they spoke to one another. And when he kissed her on the cheek the night of her graduation, butterflies in her stomach sent her soaring. Thinking back on it, she blushed at how fast her heart had been beating. God, he'd probably_ heard_ it! So embarrassing!

To be honest, she was a bit disappointed and surprised that he'd only kissed her on the cheek. He had promised to wait for her forever, tried to seduce her, saved her life twice, and then he leaves without an actual goodbye kiss? She was with Tyler then, and if he'd kissed her, she probably would have slapped him. All in all, she respected his wise choice, but now, it sort of stung.

She realized then that Klaus had never actually explained his reason for moving to New Orleans. He had told her some witches were plotting against him and he had to go assert his dominance or whatever. Honestly, she didn't really know what the reason was. Obviously people had tried to harm him before, but he never took it this seriously. She herself had participated in her friends' secret plans to kill him. Hell, they'd even desiccated him and he didn't take it this personally! She longed to know why this situation was different, but she couldn't ask. Klaus was bad news. End of story. She needed to move on, find a nice boy, and...and...she really didn't know what would come next. Marriage? That wasn't what she wanted anymore, though.

Clearing her mind of all Tyler and/or Klaus related thoughts, she snatched her suitcases and trotted down the stairs. Her mother stood at the bottom of the steps in her clearly unfashionable Sheriff's uniform. Tears pooled in her eyes as Caroline reached her. Liz pulled her into an embrace and cried into her blonde wavy hair.

"Mom, it's okay," Caroline laughed at her mother's sensitivity. "I already left once."

Liz still cried, hugging her daughter as tight as she could. "I know," she sniffled, "but it hurts just as much. I'm going to miss you."

Caroline felt the tears start to prick the backs of her eyes and buried her face in her mother's neck. "I'll miss you, too," she muttered, trying to keep the tears out of her voice.

Reluctantly, they both let go and stared at each other. Caroline loved her mom more than anything in the world. At first, they really weren't very close, but over the past two years, their relationship was knitted back together. Now, they had become very affectionate towards each other. And once again, Caroline was ditching her mother to fend for herself in a strange town full of vampires and werewolves. No hybrids left, and Caroline wasn't quite sure how she felt about that.

She blinked back tears to keep her mascara from running and slowly treaded out the door and to her car. Her mom followed closely behind, the sound of her sniffles and quiet sobs making Caroline feel even guiltier about leaving. Once she reached the sparkling black vehicle, she turned and wrapped her arms around her mother once again. "I'll call as soon as I get to the airport, okay?" she assured her. "I promise."

Liz nodded, her face crumpling with the thought of her daughter leaving again. "I just want you to be safe, Caroline," she explained. "I mean, to be caught up in all of this stuff is just...," she paused, searching for the correct words to describe it, "it's crazy. I mean, I don't know how I can trust that you'll be safe 4,000 miles from here when you're not safe living in this small town!"

Caroline nodded in understanding. But this was something she needed to do! She needed it for herself. She wanted to explore the world on her own, learn more about herself, and start to become an independent woman. She knew she must grow up because even though she would be seventeen for the rest of her existence, it was time to start living like an adult. It was time to go out into the world and find herself. Meet new people, make new friends, learn to trust her instincts, so when she came back, she would know exactly what she wanted out of her...death...

"I know you're worried," Caroline said. "I know that you want me to stay here, but I want to go see what this world has in store for someone of my kind. I never knew what I wanted out of life, but now I have the chance to go and find out. And I'm going to take it." She reached up and wiped away the tear slipping down her mom's cheek. "I want to live my life the way that I choose. I want to explore the world. And when I am done, I will come back for you, Mom, and I will tell you all about my journey. I promise you that I will see you soon, okay?"

Liz grabbed her daughter's hand and looked her in the eye. "Okay," she breathed, a watery smile appearing on her face. "I love you, Caroline. You'll always be my little girl."

Caroline's eyes started to fill up with tears of joy. Swallowing the lump in her throat she whispered, "I know."

Climbing into the car, Caroline started the engine. It purred to life, and butterflies began to bounce around in her stomach. This was it. She couldn't, _wouldn't_ allow herself to turn around once she backed out of this driveway. She faced her mother who had started crying again. The sun shined in her golden hair, her eyes glimmering. Although she'd promised to see her mother again, she didn't know if that promise could be fulfilled. What if she didn't want to come back? What if something happened and she never saw her mom again?

_No_, she thought. _I can't do this to myself. I have to leave. I have to get out._ She lifted her hand and waved to her mother, finally saying goodbye. "I love you, too, mom," she whispered, her voice fading into the rumbling of the engine. Closing her eyes, the images of her life flashed before her. Becoming a vampire, kissing Matt, developing a friendship with Tyler, finding the love of her life in him, meeting Klaus, falling for Klaus... Her life had been a mess of men. Now it was time for it to be about her.

She backed out of the driveway and looked ahead into the sun. It shined bright, showering the world in the golden light of happiness, comfort, and warmth. She needed to learn how to be her own sun. How to have the power in her own life, instead of revolving around someone else's. In that moment, she could taste the sweet freedom and power known as independence. Now she could finally start to recognize this as her own life.

Pressing her foot down on the gas pedal, she took off down the road, all thoughts escaping her except for the feeling of being free.

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**What'd you think? Remember, reviews are love and constructive criticism is always welcomed! I know that this is Klaroline, but I want Caroline's character to be explored more, and I want her to learn of her dark sides before she falls into his arms. I think this is what she needs to do before she can allow herself to realize how much she actually loves him. So, at least for a few chapters, there may not be much Klaus. But I promise, it will be worth it! I will go deeper into the Forwood relationship because I think that deserves to be explained, but I'm not a big fan of Tyler so... Anyway, let me know what you think. I worked hard on this and so I hope you all like it. Thanks for reading!**

**-_Raina_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, I'm back! So, I didn't get many reviews last chapter, but hopefully that will change over time! What I did get, I am very happy about! :) Thanks, you guys! All right, without further ado, here is Chapter 2! (Haha, that rhymed :) I'm a genius!)**

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Caroline rested her head against the uncomfortable coach seat on the airplane. She sat by the window, bouncing her legs impatiently. This was her first time riding an airplane, and she wanted to get it over with fast. Her stomach did flips as she sweated like an animal. She chuckled softly at herself. For crying out loud, she was a_ vampire_. If this plane were to crash, she would probably survive! Even so, the thought of being thousands of feet up in the air made her queasy.

It was going to be a rather long flight, so she pulled out her iPhone and texted her mom, alerting her that she had gotten on the plane safely. In order to pass the next few minutes, she started playing Candy Crush, a Facebook game that she'd recently become addicted to. Although her life was filled to the brim with doppelgangers, witches, vampires, werewolves, _hybrids_, she still had the time to play silly little games. When was she ever going to grow up?

Suddenly, a figure plopped down beside her. Caroline turned her head to see a pale girl with long brunette ringlets cascading down her shoulders. She held herself with a sort of confidence and arrogance. Her face was the spitting image of Elena's, except for wrinkles that were engraved around her eyes and carved into her forehead. She looked tired and malnourished. Caroline knew who this was: Katherine.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she snarled, irritated that she was stuck on a flight with someone she didn't want to spend more than two seconds speaking to.

Katherine smiled wickedly. She responded in her whiny, unpleasant voice, "I could ask you the same question. I mean, why are you leaving your little buddies back in Mystic Falls?" Giggling, she added, "Did they send you away because they just can't have a blonde in their group anymore?"

Caroline hissed viciously. Katherine knew all the ways to get under a person's skin. She was like a mosquito, and Caroline wanted so badly just to swat her with a rolled up newspaper. And yet, although she hurt and manipulated everyone, she could figure out a person within seconds of meeting them. She would know their dirtiest secrets, their darkest desires, and their deepest regrets. There was something about her that made her special, even though she was the most annoying person in existence.

Katherine rolled her eyes and mumbled, "What a temper." After a moment of awkward silence between the two girls, she finally admitted, "I'm a human and I'm dying. I've made a lot of enemies over the past hundred years that I'm sure would be thrilled to know that I'm now a weak and fragile mortal. I don't know what that means to you," she commented, "but to me, it sends a perfectly clear message to run like hell."

Caroline nodded slightly in understanding and leaned back against her seat again, closing her eyes. Katherine had alerted the group of the gradual aging she was experiencing a while ago. They could not figure out a way to stop it, and for the record, they didn't really want to. Katherine deserved everything she was getting. Caroline had seen her kill, manipulate, and even abandon her own flesh and blood. It was no wonder she was being punished for the cruel immoral crimes she had committed.

Yet Caroline felt a sort of pity for Katherine. It was evident that she had truly loved Stefan, even though she did not deserve his kind heart and soul. She had lost him, and now she'd lost Elijah. Now she was dying, and the one person she wanted to be with was probably not even thinking about her at the moment. Just like Klaus. Caroline had been in love with Tyler, whom she had lost, and now Klaus had deserted her as well. She had fallen into her depression, sinking faster and faster into a land of pain and suffering. She fought with herself every day not to turn her emotions off. To make the pain go away.

Katherine probably wanted to turn it off, too.

"What are you doing on this plane, Barbie?" Katherine asked, genuinely curious. "Did your little wolf boy run away crying, 'Caroline,'?"

She clenched her teeth, trying to hold back from sinking her fangs into Katherine's delicate flesh. "I wanted to get away," she muttered. "There's nothing left for me back in Mystic Falls."

"Really? That's you're reason?"

"My reasons are none of your business."

"Ooh, a bit snippy today, are we?"

"No, just hungry," Caroline answered with a fiendish grin, exposing her sharp canines.

The blood drained out of Katherine's face, leaving behind a pale, frightened expression. She pursed her lips and nodded, understanding. Turning her head to avoid Caroline's glare, she started a flirty conversation with the man sitting on her other side. He flirted back, making Caroline want to vomit. Why were all people so intent on letting her know that they were happy and she wasn't? The thought made her want to rip into a human's skin, blood bursting out of the wound and splashing on her tongue. The sweet, hot substance slipping down her throat with ease. The mere idea made her lick her lips in anticipation. She needed a blood bag, fast.

Or she just needed to get a handle on her anger.

Pulling out a pair of hot pink headphones, Caroline plugged them into her iPhone and turned the volume up to full blast. She closed her eyes and attempted to drown everything out with the music. However, every song that played reminded her of Tyler. Every word that was sung was relevant to what she was going through at the moment. Tears welled up in her eyes and a single one fell down her cheek. She sniffed and wiped it away with the back of her hand. _Stop crying,_ she internally scolded herself. _You're acting like a child. Tyler's gone and he's never coming back. He hates you._

She knew this wasn't true, but she thought that if she kept telling herself this, maybe one day she'd start to believe it, enabling herself to move on. Tyler didn't hate her, he hated Klaus. But Klaus was important to Caroline. She was attracted to him of course, but it was much more than that. She cared for him in a way that she couldn't explain in words. She didn't want Tyler to hurt him, but at the same time, she wanted Klaus to receive a punishment for murdering Tyler's mom. Sadly, a slap on the wrist just wasn't going to cut it.

Absorbed in her thoughts, she hadn't even realized the plane had taken off. She drew in quick rapid breaths as the concept hit her. She was thousands of feet in the air! Staring out the window, she finally noticed what Klaus had been speaking of. The world below her displayed genuine beauty. She could see the rolling hills below her, the tiny people resembling ants, the jagged mountains, the purple hues of color surrounding the world she lived in. How had she never witnessed this before? It took her breath away and lifted her spirits. This was it. She was leaving and she would see many more breath-taking things out there in Paris. She wasn't coming home for a very long time.

Turning her gaze to her iPhone, she opened up her voicemails. She knew what she was looking for. Caroline found it quickly and played it, mouthing the words because she had memorized this by heart.

_"Caroline. I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world. Surrounded by food, music, art, culture. And all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me."_

God, his British accent killed her. She could practically hear the smile in his voice. This was her favorite thing to listen to because it reminded her of the things that lay out there in the world. The things that she had yet to witness. And she wanted to witness them herself. Alone. She did want to see the world. In fact, it was her greatest desire at this moment, but she didn't want to have someone show it to her. She needed to do it alone and learn how to take care of herself. The thought of standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower all by herself, gazing out at the city lights was intoxicating all on its own. She did not need a man to present it to her. Before, she had relied on a man for everything. Now, it was all about her. Caroline. How could she decipher her feelings when she wasn't even sure how she felt? How could she love someone before falling in love with herself? The answer was simply that she couldn't. This trip would change things forever.

Oh my, how right she was.

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**I know MUCH SHORTER. What did you guys think of Katherine being added into the mix? SPOILER ALERT: She _may_ play a big part in this story, but I'm not sure yet. We'll see. Sorry about the lame length of this chapter. But, I wanted to get up the next chapter as soon as possible because I've updated my other story. Also, I apologize for any unrealistic aspects. I've never been on a plane before so I don't really know what to expect. Please just let me be ignorant. If you're a PLL Emaya fan, please check out My Missing Puzzle Piece. Those who are fans of Klaroline fluff, check out my one-shot Born to Die. Thanks for reading! I will try as hard as I can to post a new chapter each week. Reviews are love and constructive criticism is always welcome! Thank you!  
**

**-Raina**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow, 9 reviews! Thank you so much, you guys are great! I'm really glad you're enjoying the story so far! This chapter is a bit longer and I've added a new someone into the mix! HINT: She's a female werewolf, but I made her up completely. She has never been on TVD or TO. SPOILER: She will become really close to Caroline! Now, welcome to Barbie World!**

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Caroline hauled her luggage out of the airport. It had been a long plane ride and an even longer time getting everything ready to go. She'd called a Taxi to come pick her up and was now waiting along with the crowd of others. Thankfully, she had lost Katherine after they'd exited the plane, running with inhuman speed. She just couldn't stand another moment with the arrogant, two-faced doppelganger. That girl really knew how to get on someone's last nerve.

Waiting for her Taxi, her suitcases just became heavier and heavier. She had no idea how long she was staying in Paris, so she'd practically packed her life into her bags. Finally, her ride arrived and she hopped in, dragging the luggage in with her. Leaning forward, Caroline asked the driver, "Parles-tu anglais?" It was the only French phrase she needed to know: Do you speak English?

The driver looked back behind her and Caroline was met with chocolate brown eyes. They belonged to an African-American woman with long, frizzy, cinnamon-colored hair. She smiled at the blonde, her teeth a dazzling white. "As a matter of fact," she responded with a thick French accent, "it is my first language."

Caroline breathed a sigh of relief and turned on her phone. "Okay, then, can you take me to the..." She squinted her eyes at the name of the hotel she had recorded in her phone. Practically shoving it into the woman's face, she pointed at the name. "There?" she giggled, embarrassed.

The woman laughed aloud, a deep and melodic noise. "I'm sorry, honey, but there's no way you can go there," she replied, still chuckling.

Caroline stuck out her lower lip in a pout and questioned, "Why not?"

"That hotel burned down years ago."

"What?" Caroline exclaimed, her heart jumping up to her throat. This was where she was supposed to stay! She didn't know any place else! "How? What happened? I'd booked a reservation there already!"

"Well, that's not possible, honey," the driver responded. "Someone must have been conning you."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

"Well, I don't know what else to tell you, sweetheart. Other than the fact that you're screwed unless you have another place in mind where you can stay."

Caroline shook her head and sighed in defeat, slouching down in her seat. This was awful, and the situation she was in didn't even make any sense! She had called the number that she'd found online and booked her stay! If the hotel had burned down years ago, why was their website still online, and why wasn't there any information on the fire? "I don't know where else to go," Caroline admitted, tears of worry and frustration pricking the backs of her eyes. Gosh, she was acting like a child!

The driver smiled comfortingly, looking at the blonde through the rear-view mirror. "Here's a thought," she said reassuringly. "Why don't you come stay with me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Look, until you find another place to go, you might as well stay at my home. I have a spare room, and I wouldn't charge you a dime."

Caroline cocked her head in thought. She had only just met this woman, and now she was going to stay at her house? It didn't seem like a very smart idea, but it was the only option she had until she could find somewhere else. Caroline leaned forward and grabbed the driver's chin, turning her head around to face her. Using her compulsion, she inquired, "Are you going to hurt me?" Sometimes, she hated using her compulsion, stripping people of their own free will even only to answer a simple question. But she wanted to be safe, and although this woman seemed trustworthy enough, Mystic Falls had taught her never to judge a vampire by its fangs.

The girl's mesmerizing eyes glazed over as she stared into Caroline's own. "No, I would never hurt you," she stated flatly. Somehow, there seemed to be a sort of importance about the way she said "you". Almost as if there were special circumstances in Caroline's case.

"Forget that I asked you this."

She leaned back and gazed out the window at the traffic. "I don't even know your name and I'm actually pondering staying at your home in a foreign country that I've just arrived to." She laughed at her ridiculous predicament.

"It's Alexandria," she informed her. "Please, call me Alex."

Caroline put out her hand and responded, "Caroline Forbes." Alex grasped her pale hand and shook it firmly before returning her eyes to the road.

"Well, Alex, let's get going, shall we?"

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About an hour later, Caroline found herself walking along a stone path with Alex by her side. The sweet aroma of summer danced on the slight breeze that caressed her skin with feather-light fingers. She welcomed the golden sun that soaked her bare shoulders, exposed by the camisole she was wearing. Gazing ahead, the blonde could see a huge Victorian-style house with tall columns reaching up to the blue sky above. The freshly cut grass swayed, as if waving for her to come closer, beckoning her to stay. This place was beautiful, and she couldn't help but let out a little gasp at the tranquility and glamor of it all.

Alex chuckled at her reaction, giggling, "Yeah, it's a little much, I know. I love this place."

"I can see why," Caroline laughed.

"All right," Alex sighed. "Rosemary will lead you to your room once you go in. I've got to get back to work."

Caroline's lips pursed in disagreement, and her brow furrowed. "Are you sure you have to go? I mean, I don't even know who Rosemary is. I don't even know if she speaks English, for crying out loud!"

The French woman couldn't help but chortle at her exclamations. She was such a character, so bright and colorful. "Well, believe me, honey, Rosemary knows you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snorted.

But by the time the words had left her lips, Alex was already running off back down the stone path to the awaiting cab. Caroline's jaw dropped at the rude treatment she was receiving. Could this week get any worse? She'd left college, had to sit on a plane with the one and only Katherine damn Pierce, her hotel was apparently in ashes, and now this girl who had offered her a place to stay was now leaving her without answering any of her questions!

Sighing, she dragged her luggage the few more steps to the door and knocked softly. She could hear someone bustling around inside, their heartbeat quickening as they jogged over to the door, blood pumping in the human's veins. How was she going to stay here with humans? How would she hide her secret?

Before she could even give it another moment's thought, the human opened the door, her face lighting up at the sight of Caroline. She looked to be in her fifties, cinnamon-colored skin, identical to Alex's, aged from the sun. The wrinkles in her face were carved into her soft features, and she was so short, the blonde had to stare down at her. She was like a blueberry, plump, small, and...wrinkled. _Eww_, Caroline thought. _Not a good comparison._

"Rosemary?" she nervously inquired.

The woman nodded eagerly, her short onyx hair bobbing with the movement of her head. Her dimpled cheeks were so chubby, Caroline couldn't help but return the smile. Suddenly, Rosemary grabbed her hand and lead her into the huge house. They seemed to have entered a hallway with a grand spiral staircase curling down to the wooden planks below their feet. Heavy oak doors lined the entire hallway, and paintings filled up the rest of the empty spaces on the walls. Of course, these paintings were nothing compared to what she had seen in Klaus's studio.

_Damn you,_ Caroline thought to herself, _stop thinking about him! It'll drive you insane. He was an evil bastard, no humanity, no emotions, nothing..._

Then again, how could she blame him for having no humanity when she practically wanted to sink her razor sharp fangs into this innocent woman's neck? To drown herself in the delicious metallic blood that flowed through her veins? To let the crimson liquid slide down her throat as she let out her inner vampire, the woman she was trying so hard to suppress? Caroline was a good person, she knew that. But she constantly fought with these cravings, this need to just turn it all off and binge on thick, sweet blood. She'd never told Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Stefan, not even Tyler! It wasn't something she was proud of, and she would like to keep it buried inside for the rest of her unnatural immortal life. She wasn't a monster.

"This is where you will be staying," introduced Rosemary. "Let me take your things."

Rosemary's warm touch on her skin snapped her out of her bloodlust-induced trance. "Oh no, I couldn't let you do that," she declined, pulling her bags away from the woman. She was a vampire, after all. She had inhuman super strength, and she wasn't going to make some poor little old lady carry her things just because she didn't feel like it. That was something Klaus would do. Caroline would never be that cruel to human beings, and that was what separated her from Klaus. He was the monster, not her. At least, so she thought.

Rosemary shrugged and beckoned her with her hand as she scampered off up the steps. Caroline followed obediently, gawking at all the beautiful paintings. They weren't solemn, like the hybrid's, but full of color and light. Almost the complete opposite. There was one she saw of a young blonde twirling on the ballroom dance floor with a dark shadow that frightened her. Most of the others were light-hearted, but this one was different. It chilled her to the bone, and she avoided the blonde in the painting's content gaze, feeling as if she was watching her. Not just watching, like she was _waiting_ for her to do something.

Once they reached the top of the staircase, Rosemary opened the door to her immediate right. "This is your room," she explained in a bell-chime voice.

Caroline gasped at the room's genuine beauty. Creamy white sheets covered the bed, and a dark wooden floor below made it seem so much more elegant. There was a fluffy black rug in the middle of the floor and a flat-screen TV on the opposite side, facing the bed. An empty dresser, the drawers already opened, resided beside it. However, when she looked up, mirrors were covering almost every inch of the ceiling, casting the sunshine pouring in through the windows on every object, causing the entire room to glimmer. It was amazing!

"I'll leave you to get settled in."

As soon as Rosemary closed the door, Caroline dropped her suitcases on the floor and leaped onto the bed, sighing as she landed on a soft, memory foam mattress. It felt like she landed on a cloud, and she closed her eyes, imagining what it would be like to have Tyler there with her. To have him cuddle with her as they watched cheesy romance movies on the TV and snacked on buttery popcorn, just like old times. A tear escaped from her eye, falling down her cheek. She sniffled, attempting not to cry any more. It was ridiculous to anyway. He had broken things off, it was over. She had promised herself no more chances, excuses, they were done. Her resolve, although strong, shattered and she began to sob into a pillow, trying to quiet her cries of heartbreak.

How could anyone treat the person they loved so horribly? Why couldn't he have just let Klaus go, like she did? Let him go without any regrets? Tyler just couldn't choose her over revenge. Maybe it was fate, maybe they just weren't meant to be together. Maybe there was someone out there much better for her, someone who loved her more than anything, someone who would do anything to win her heart. Obviously she hadn't met him yet, since Klaus was the only one that fit that description. There was no way Klaus was the one for her. Was there?

_No,_ Caroline decided. _He's evil, there isn't any way that he and I were meant to be together. I'm good._

Was she?

* * *

At around 5:00, Alex finally came home. Caroline had spent the past few hours holed up in her room, flipping through all the channels and trying to find a show that wasn't in French. Her stomach growled, and she knew she needed blood, but just as she pulled a bag out, she heard Alex walk through the front door. Although her gums were throbbing with hunger, blood would have to wait.

"How was your day?" Alex questioned as she entered Caroline's room.

The blonde shrugged, laying on her bed, staring at her reflection in the mirrors above. "Okay. Yours?"

"Boring," the woman sighed, strolling over to sit on the edge of the bed. "How do you like it here?"

"It's nice. Huge."

"Yeah, I know."

Caroline rolled over on her side and rested her head on her hand. She desired to pick this girl's brain, find out what she could. It didn't make sense that this one human puzzled her so much. Finally, after a few minutes of avoiding eye contact, she asked, "If you have this big estate, why do you work? How did you even get this rich driving a cab?"

Alex laughed at the question, not showing the slightest hint of irritation at the girl picking into her private life. "It's not technically mine," she answered. "A while ago, my dad fell ill and he needed someone to take care of him. I was living in the U.S., in California of all places, and failing at making a living on my acting career. I came back because he needed me. His room's downstairs."

"Well, why do you work? I mean, he must be very rich."

"Yeah, he is. I work because I want to maintain some sort of independence. My parents were always really snotty about their wealth, and I just didn't want that to be me. So, I refuse to live off their money. I make my own." She flashed a smile and then added, "I love my mom and dad, but they can be a bit self-obsessed."

Caroline chewed on her lower lip, pondering what to ask next. She wanted to keep her talking, try to get her to spill some of her dirty secrets. "Is that why you left in the first place?" she decided to ask.

"Yes," Alex simply stated. "Enough about me, why are you here in France? I mean, you clearly don't speak French, so why you would come here, of all places?"

Caroline sat up and ran her hand through her blonde locks. How did she even begin? "Tell you what," she replied, the light-bulb turning on in her brain, "why don't we discuss this over dinner? It is my first day in France, after all."

Alex nodded excitedly, and the two skipped down the stairs and outside, taking off to one of the most delicious restaurants in all of Paris.

* * *

Caroline moaned as the best wine she ever had splashed onto her taste-buds, sliding down her throat with ease. This was one of the tricks Stefan had taught her when she first became a vampire: Alcohol helps with the cravings. Her and Alex were seated at a glamorous table underneath a crystal chandelier in the Le Meurice. It wasn't her idea to eat here, she barely had any money left after the plane ride. Alex had decided that this was one of the most luxurious fine-dining Parisian restaurants, but Caroline had been a bit uneasy about the idea of eating in an place where the wine costs more than the actual food, especially since she'd offered to pay beforehand.

"Don't worry about it," Alex had assured her. "We'll just split the bill."

Because the blonde didn't really need food to function, she'd settled on a glass of wine. Alex, however, sat across from her, all the delicacies Paris had to offer resting on the table covered by a creamy tablecloth. Caroline glared at the beautiful mosaic flooring, silently cursing herself for having agreed to splitting the bill. As she listened to the nauseating sound of the woman near her scarfing down her food, the vampire stood up to use the restroom.

When she entered, she found that no one else occupied the ladies' room. So, she ran to the sink, checking on her face to be positive it wasn't transforming into a demonic expression. And just like that, the blood came rushing to her head, eyes just black pupils surrounded by scarlet red. Veins beneath the horrific windows to her deceased soul rippled and pulsed with the pang she felt in her gums as her canines elongated into sharp, jagged fangs. She ran her tongue across their razor tips, loving the feeling of power she got when this side of her came to the surface, yet hating the hideous monster staring back at her through the mirror.

Caroline was so hungry! She could feel it in her stomach, in her throbbing gums. This was what true starvation to a vampire was. The simple idea of just feeding on someone and compelling them to forget popped into her head, but she refused to act like that. She wasn't like all those other vampires out there, emotionless and inhumane. Yet the hunger was so strong, so overpowering, she almost gave herself up to it when she thought of something Stefan had said to her after her first kill.

_"When you feel the blood rushing, you tell yourself that you're gonna get through it, that you're strong enough. No matter how good it feels to give yourself over to it, you fight it off, you bury it."_

"I can get through this," she whispered to herself. "I'm strong enough."

She took a few deep breaths, attempting to bury the beast inside. Fighting the bloodlust, she saw her monstrous features fade before her eyes, until she appeared as normal and human as the rest of the crowd in the restaurant. She smiled at her success, not failing to notice that her fangs had shrunk back into her gums. Caroline was so grateful for Stefan's help during her transformation. He was one of the greatest friends she'd ever had. She loved him like a brother.

Flipping her golden curls, she strutted out of the bathroom, the click of her heels on the tile echoing behind her. Once she reached the table, she noticed that Alex was gone. In her place was the bill, which she'd already paid. Caroline frowned at the disappearance of her somewhat-friend and rushed out the door, searching for the girl on the streets, only to find her running away, muttering to herself.

She tried to keep up with Alex's fast pace, pushing past the people who yelled complaints at her in different foreign languages. Once she reached the woman, she grabbed her by the arm and spun her around, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. "Um, I don't know if you realize this," she commented, "but you kind of _ditched me_!"

"Sorry, I just needed to get out of there," she replied hastily and started taking off down the road again. Caroline spun her around and gave her one of her meanest glares. It was something she had practiced long ago, back when she was the human drama queen of the superficial, to scare off the losers. Now, she knew that probably wasn't one of the nicest things to do, but her glare had helped her in other types of situations as well. She would use it on Klaus all the time, but he'd only ever laugh at her.

"Where do you think you're going? I don't even know how to get out of here! And why'd _you_ just _have_ to get out of there? You make no freaking sense!"

"I needed some fresh air," Alex responded, shrugging as if it was nothing. "And now, if you'd please stop pulling me back, I would like to go get that fresh air."

"We're outside, you're already breathing the fresh air!" Caroline exclaimed. "God, I came here to see the damn city, and now I'm stuck being babysat by an awful nanny who keeps leaving me!"

Alex narrowed her eyes and scowled at the girl before busting into uncontrollable laughter. She literally doubled over in the street, clutching her stomach because she was laughing so hard. Her eyes welled up with tears and she wiped them away, trying to catch her breath. Finally, when she was done with her laughing fit, she looked up at Caroline who's arms were crossed and eyes were burning with rage. Alex bit her lip, attempting to stop from giggling hysterically again.

"Okay, okay," she sighed, coming to her senses. "I'll take you to see the city tomorrow. Let's just go home, it's getting late anyway."

Caroline gazed up at the sky, realizing that it was already a deep navy blue. The moon was barely visible just yet, and only a few bright stars twinkled in the darkness. She nodded, and they walked back to Le Meurice, hopped in the car, and drove back to Alex's, who was still trying to contain her laughter. The vampire just stared out the window at the night sky, wondering how the day had gotten away from her so fast. Tomorrow, though, she would sight-see with Alex around Paris, finally able to witness the beauty that everyone was always saying the City of Love contained. She chuckled then, thinking of how strange it was that so many couples came here to be together, and the reason she arrived was because she was single. Then, of course, that brought up buried thoughts of Tyler and she was fighting her tears the rest of the ride back

* * *

Once they'd gotten home, they both went straight to their rooms, exhausted. Alex had had a rough day at work, and Caroline was so tired from all her crying about Tyler. They both hadn't had the best of days, but they believed a good night's sleep would take care of it. Alex immediately slipped into a peaceful slumber. However, the vampire didn't have so much luck.

Caroline tossed and turned in her bed. As comfortable as it was, she couldn't seem to fall asleep. She knew it was probably just being in a new environment, but every time she closed her eyes and pictured herself in her own bed at home, which usually worked, she just ended up even more restless. Then, a new thought came to her, and she imagined that Tyler was with her, cuddling her in his arms, his head tucked in the crook of her neck.

Needless to say, it didn't work either.

She flashed open her eyes and stared at the mirrors in the ceiling, gazing at herself. "I need to get over this," she mumbled, watching her lips move in her reflection. "I need to just go to sleep." Squinting her eyes shut, she tried once more to imagine herself with Tyler, but it did nothing to ease her mind into blissful sleep. A revolting idea popped into her head, and she tried everything she could to get it out. _It might work..._, the girl thought.

And then, she pictured herself with Klaus.

She imagined his strong arms encircling her waist, holding her tightly against his firm, muscular body. The scratching of his stubble against her soft skin as he placed light kisses on her neck. The way his hot breath would tickle her ear, what he would whisper to her. When she closed her eyes, she could almost feel these fantasies, like it was really happening. She could even smell his sweet scent. Caroline knew it was wrong to imagine these sorts of things, but once they came into her mind, they wouldn't stop. And by the tugging feeling she felt in her heart, she knew that she felt something for him.

Before she even knew it, she was fast asleep, dreaming of the Original Hybrid.

Of course, the sweet dreams didn't last. It wasn't long before she was having her recurring nightmare. In the dream, she'd turned off her humanity and was hunting down her friends one by one, saving the humans for last. When she reached Bonnie, she let her canines elongate and cut into her delicate human flesh like a sharp knife through butter. The sweet taste of hot blood splashing on her tongue, flowing from the punctured artery right into her awaiting mouth. This had never happened before, it was normally just that she would murder all her friends without drinking from the human ones.

This was different.

The feeling of Bonnie's skin as she clutched her dying form in her arms was almost tangible. The spectacular taste of blood was almost too real, too good to be true. Everything she touched, smelled, saw, heard, tasted, seemed to be reality. As she removed her teeth from Bonnie's neck and let her head fall backwards in euphoria, crimson liquid drizzling down her chin...

She awoke to the exact same thing. Rosemary was in her arms, lifeless eyes staring at nothing as the blood soaked her shirt, the bed sheets, everything. Caroline felt her stomach grow nauseous at the sight, and she spit out the blood on the floor. She tried poking Rosemary, whispering her name, hot tears falling from her blue eyes and trickling down her blood-stained cheeks. "Rosemary!" she began to scream, shaking the woman like a ragdoll. Her bellow woke up Alex, who came rushing to the scene, clapping her hand over her mouth at the horrific sight.

Caroline let the carcass fall to the floor, stricken with grief.

* * *

**Wow, Caroline's first kill...too bad it was Rosemary, I kind of liked her :/ Anyway, I hope I made up for the short chapter with this extra long one :) What did you think of Alex? Like her, hate her, not sure yet? What about that crazy Klaus fantasy? Ooh, someone's in LOVE! LOL And the creepy painting? SPOILER: It has a certain importance to future Klaroline, but I'm sure you smart guys and gals figured that out! Well, I guess that's it. Remember, reviews are love and constructive criticism is always welcome! Thanks guys!**

**-Raina**

**P.S. I don't know when the next chapter will be posted. It should be next week, but I have a lot going on then (chorus concert, hospital appt., etc.), so I promise to put it up as soon as I can! Wouldn't want to disappoint you guys :) Love ya!**


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